Infirmary - July 31 early evening

[ginevra_dark]

Ginny peeked inside the hospital wing before slipping inside. Hermione was in the last bed from the door and Ginny moved quietly, not wanting to wake her if she was resting. But her eyes were open and of course a book was rested open in her hands. Ginny smiled as she sat down on her bed. They'd all been through so much the night before

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[booky_knowitall]

Hermione looked up from the book Theo had sent her earlier that day and closed it. No reason to explain to Ginny why she was reading a French spellbook. "Hey," she responded as she tucked the book under the nightstand. She sat up a little straighter and punched her pillow into a better position. "I'm fine. Madame Pomfrey insists that as a Cruciatus victim I've got to stay overnight, but I'm feeling just fine."

She took a good look at Ginny and chewed on her lip a little. Ginny wasn't really looking all that wonderful, but at least she didn't have to be in the hospital.

At least she got to do something important last night. Hermione put on a smile and asked, "How about you?"

[ginevra_dark]

Ginny shrugged. "I'm fine. I'm really... tired. You know? Just tired." She smiled at her. "My family is safe, Charlie's healing, I can't complain. And all my friends are all right. Harry got an owl this morning. His cousin lived. Things could be worse." She sighed and stretched out on the edge of the bed, propping up beside of Hermione. It wouldn't do to burden her with all the crap going on in her family.

[booky_knowitall]

Hermione looked over at her friend and nodded. "Glad to hear that Charlie's alright. He definitely wasn't doing well last night." She sat there in the silence for a minute, and she heard the candle closest to her flicker as it caught a breeze through the open window.

She couldn't think of what to say. Everything currently circling through her head was so negative. 'So, you have fun fighting next to Harry?' 'Great that Ron didn't help, isn't it?' 'You know, it's weird going into battle without my two best friends next to me. I was lost.' None of them seemed particularly appropriate. Instead, she left out a single laugh and shook her head. "I like to pretend that the Death Eaters don't know much about me. But since two of them last night made me their favorite target I suppose I can't exactly say that's true."

[ginevra_dark]

Ginny frowned. "He should still be here, but he insisted on going home around noon. But Terence went with him, so I'm sure he'll be all right." She wished she could see him, it would ease her mind a bit, but she knew he didn't want her around. She was trying very hard not to let that hurt.

She smiled wryly. "I had to wear the invisibility cloak. And I was threatened within an inch of my life by Charlie. I'm frankly surprised he didn't stun me to keep me from going." She leaned her head on Hermione's shoulder. "I'm glad you're all right."

[ginevra_dark]

"It's not about being heartless. It's about not needing me and about not really wanting me. I almost... I almost wish we'd not gotten so close. It hurts more now." She smiled at Hermione. "I know you know. I know that. I just... you know Harry. Better than almost anyone. He's trying to make good decisions. And maybe he isn't doing it to protect anyone, maybe he just thinks it's what needs to be done. The thing is, he won't know that you're upset unless you sit him down and spell it out for him calmly."

[booky_knowitall]

Hermione looked up at her friend and gripped her shoulder. "You are Charlie just had a falling out. It's natural. When he was home when you were kids, you weren't old enough to want to associate with him. You're finally getting to know each other and you've hit a bump in the road. Sibling problems rarely last forever, really."

A grin came to Hermione's face. "So you think that maybe I should try again with yelling and lecturing him? You realize that me trying to tell either of those boys anything without blowing up at them is nearly impossible, don't you?"

[ginevra_dark]

Ginny smiled. "I think that being non confrontational will work much better with him, yes. He'll hear it. If you go in yelling or lecturing, he'll just get defensive and miss the point." She shook her head. "Although yelling and lecturing do have their place. You can do it. It's what needs to be done. Tell him you love him. He doesn't hear that enough. And tell him you miss him. And tell him how you've felt lately. It'll be all right." She shrugged again. "I am tired of fighting with my brothers. I'm just tired, Hermione."

[booky_knowitall]

"Alright, I'll swallow my pride and be nice to him, I suppose. I'm sure he'll like that a whole lot better. I've got to get out this blasted hospital wing first, though."

Hermione hugged her a little closer and smiled warmly. "Well, look at it this way...you're not fighting with Ron, right? So that's one brother you're not fighting with. Percy you don't care enough about to care, so there's another you're not fighting with. And, according to many of your brothers, although I'm sure Ron's excluded, I'm a sister, so technically I'm a sibling you're not fighting with, right?" She smiled a little more, feeling a tiny bit better...and doing her best to ignore how much gripping Ginny's shoulder was straining her muscles.